Mercedes GP MGP W01

[zgred]

[DaveKillens]

That's an interesting solution for the airbox and the rollbar.

Yep, the airbox is not a part of the roll structure. Instead they have a massive beam splitting the airbox providing the roll protection. U can see the thickness at the hole which is cut into the top to provide access for the lifting tackles. Like McLaren they provide secondary cooling for some engine or gearbox ancillaries or they use those channels to guide some air under the bodywork for some purpose.

Good call WB.



I really like this soultion for the airbox/rollover structure. Although it has no moving parts, it's an important element to the car, and manages to resolve conflicting requirements. The FIA mandates some place where lifting straps can be attached. Up until now, it was placed under the airbox intake, and had to compromise the airflow around that area. And we all know how critical it is to deliver the air properly towards the rear. Now, with just an elongated hole on the very top, airflow around the air intake and this area can be properly sculpted to meet the aero requirements.

I also believe this design lends itself to rapid evolution in this area. I doubt Mercedes will have to re-test this structure whenever they decide to change the intake, because it's no longer a part of the rollover structure. When Monza arrives will we see not only special front and rear wings, but also a "Monza scoop"?

Right now, what we see can be misleading. The nose can be easily changed, and based on how many times different teams re-designed their noses last year, it's a very fluid situation. Don't forget that with the change in diffusers, how the nose influences the air is very important. What the teams will learn when the mega-diffusers get bolted on will probably force redesign of the front wing, and maybe the nose itself.

The chassis itself will probably be unchanged, it's a rare event when a team redesign a chassis mid-season. The front does possess the "V" first shown last year on Newey's design. The undercuts on the sidepods have been eating at McDonalds, they have filled out to accomodate the extra fuel. And although the rear of the car is slimmed down, any verdict cannot be attempted until the mega-diffuser shows up.

[WhiteBlue]

I think this roll over solution would not have been possible in the age of gravel traps. In deep gravel the roll over beam will dig in and some protection will be lost. But on tarmac it will work fine.

[Mysticf1]

Gravel traps still exist at F1 circuits.

[RacingManiac]

not sure why they want to move the engine intake lower though......aside from maybe the flow coming off it is cleaner for the rear wing, it doesn't logically help the engine....Drivers been know to duck or move their head out of the way for the engine(I think Rubens does this by habit), making it closer to driver's head wouldn't that make it worse?

It looks cool though....

[BreezyRacer]

Some really great pics here .. thanks guys! That lower rear wing element is quite refined. I'm not sure if it quite touches the endplate and the endplates have vents in that area of the endplates. There is a nice center mount for that lower element too. Also it's nicely curved to across the rear to greatly spread/aid the upper diffuser outlet. It will be interesting to see if this stays intact on the car.

[WhiteBlue]

Sure, but not where you are likely to roll a car. The only track which I see as a problem is Brazil soaked with rain when the cars loose control and catapult over the meadow as they did 2009.

Some comments on the first day in the W01:

For the first day [with a new car] the team have done a superb job. It was a perfect rollout for the new car. I felt totally comfortable and really had a feeling that everything was very natural. It felt just like at the very beginning of my career in 1991 when on the first lap, I thought 'wow that was really fast' and then on the second lap, I was just extremely excited. I feel like a young boy again and really enjoyed myself out there. We did a good job today, just making a few control checks, and the most important thing was that the car ran reliably. With Nico and I covering 79 laps between us, it was a superb job by the team.

Rosberg complained about a bad seat fit which left him far too deep in the chassis. That sounds a bit unprofessional. Both drivers were sharing one car but you would think that they can provide proper seating to both drivers.

[Mr Alcatraz]

Here is some video of Mike!
That Merc. looks like it's got some serious grip.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bJ0I-5Ea-Q[/youtube]

Go Mike!!

It sure ain't no tank!!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 4184116050

[RacingManiac]

Having done a few of those seats, drivers can sometimes say they feel ok when you are fitting it in the shop, but can be different once you are actually driving. They can probably remake another seat overnight pretty easily....all part of the shakedown process...

[mx_tifoso]

I thought exhausts weren't allowed to protrude from the bodywork??



Or were those regulations changed since last year?

[axle]

That's one tight smooth a$$!

[Raptor22]

The ideas around that roll hoop or in this case is only that the vertical spike take the loadbut the entire air inlet is a moulded part of the roll hoop and lower.
why lower?

a lower airbox reduces the wake flowing toward the rear wing and allows for better ompression of intake air in the airbox.
very clever solution.

[ringo]

A good view of the back of the merc, you can see the sensors on the rear wishbones, are they temp sensors? Also the small struts to hold the floor up, I'm suprised they haven't got a more elegant solution.

Blue things are strain gauges. Gives readings on the strain in x, y , xy directions.

Silver look like temperature sensors to monitor the effect on the exhaust on the arms.

[ringo]

Hey, for a while there i thought the rear end was aluminum!
It's pretty shiny.

However, the body does not look as developed as the others, hopefully i am wrong.
There is nothing on the body that really stands out, that sets this apart from the competition but then again i felt the same about the BRAWN last year.

[tarzoon]